Amidu’s resignation as Special Prosecutor a defeatist idea – Gyampo

The decision taken by Martin Amidu to resign as the Special Prosecutor was problematic, a Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo has said.

Prof Gaympo said in a yet-to-be-aired interview with Onua TV’s Kwame Tutu that Mr Amidu’s decision was defeatist.

Speaking on the issue of corruption in the Akufo-Addo administration, he said among other things that “One of the things that got some of us excited about Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was when he said he was never corrupt. But how they sacked Daniel Domelevo from office and how Martin Amidu resigned. I even have a problem with Amidu for resigning because I thought it was a defeatist position he took. But I believe that the matter was not handled properly,” by the government.

Mr Amidu resigned on Monday, November 16 after citing a number of reasons including interference by the President, an allegation the president has denied.

He said in his letter to the president: “It is essential for me to state for the purpose of the records, and contrary to public perceptions, that my appointment letter was received on 5th February 2020 (almost two (2)-years after my appointment).

“The copy addressees made no efforts to honour any of the conditions of appointment in terms of emoluments and benefits of the appointment ever since my warrant of appointment was issued on 23rd February 2018 to the date of my letter of resignation. The Deputy Special Prosecutor has also not been paid any emoluments since her appointment, and there is the need to redress that situation for her now that I am out of the way.

“The events of 12th November 2020 removed the only protection I had from the threats and plans directed at me for undertaking the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption assessment report and dictates that I resign as the Special Prosecutor immediately.

“I should not ordinarily be announcing my resignation to the public myself but the traumatic experience I went through from 20th October 2020 to 2nd November 2020 when I conveyed in a thirteen (13) page letter the conclusions and observations on the analysis of the risk of corruption and anti-corruption assessment on the Report On Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions and Other Matters Related Thereto to the President as Chairman of the National Security Council cautions against not bringing my resignation as the Special Prosecutor with immediate to the notice of the Ghanaian public and the world.

“The reaction I received for daring to produce the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption report convinces me beyond any reasonable doubt that I was not intended to exercise any independence as the Special Prosecutor in the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and recovery of assets of corruption. My position as the Special Prosecutor has consequently become clearly untenable.”